MAKING A $7/MO PLEDGE HELPS SUPPORT INDEPENDENT JOURNALISM OH AND TELL YOUR FRIENDS
Happy Wednesday,
Here’s what you need to know on this National White Wine Day.
First, here is your business brief
Here’s your business brief — We start with the ADP jobs report.
Private companies added only 330,000 jobs in July. That’s a pretty stark decline from June. It’s down by 350,000. Of course, this comes amid the concerning delta variant that is slowing down re-openings. However it is much lower than what was expected. Economists forecasted a little more 653,000 jobs would be added last month. While the report had modest gains, some industries performed better than others. The leisure and hospitality sector led the pack. It added 139,000 jobs. Education and health services added 64,000. This comes as schools are ramping up for the new school year.
Now we go to the latest on the COVID-19, we do have some good news from Pfizer.
The Food and Drug Administration hopes to give the pharmaceutical giant full approval for its two shot vaccine by Labor Day. At least that is according to reporting from the New York Times. Currently the vaccine has been administered under an Emergency Use Authorization along with the Moderna two shot vaccine and the J&J, one shot. This comes as more than 70% of U.S. adults are at least partly vaccinated. According to a poll conducted by the Kaiser Family Foundation in June, 31% of unvaccinated Americans would be more likely to get the vaccine if it has full approval.
Meanwhile, CVS is set to raise wages. The pharmacy chain says it will raise its minimum wage $15 per hour. The move is not immediate though. It will take effect by July of next year. CVS already pays higher than $15 per hour for 65% of it’s hourly workers. The Rhode Island based company will also give out bigger paychecks for other employees including pharmacy technicians. Additionally in an effort to entice more job applicants the company dropped many of its education requirements specifically for entry level jobs. It will no longer require a high school diploma.
Kroger is making moves to enter the food delivery business. The grocery store chain is partnering with the company Kitchen United to bring ghost kitchens to some of their stores. Now if you are unfamiliar with the concept, a ghost kitchen, it’s a shared kitchen restaurants can use to prepare food specifically for delivery and takeout. Often several different restaurants use these kinds of spaces. The concept grew in popularity during the pandemic as indoor dining stalled across the country and around the world. The first kitchen as part of the partnership is slated to open in Los Angeles. It will feature local and regional restaurants as well as some national chains
(You can always watch it here) or the full broadcast at 8:20P ET (here)
FIVE STORIES THAT SHOULD BE ON YOUR RADAR
'Literally losing our workforce': Florida schools defy DeSantis' anti-mask order (Politico)
Arkansas' Governor Says He Now Regrets Banning Masks In Schools (Buzzfeed News)
Simone Biles reveals her aunt died unexpectedly during Tokyo Olympics (CBS News)
Spotify is testing a cheaper Premium tier called Spotify Plus (TechRadar)
Lambda's Potential to Evade Vaccines Worrisome to WHO but Not a Variant of Concern Yet (Newsweek)
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT:
Job training programs are surging since the pandemic. I sat down with Caren Marrick CEO of Virginia Ready, one of the most successful programs in the country now on (Business Brief)
Businesses across the country are in the process of developing their plans to return to the office but not everyone is excited about it. I sat down with one executive coach, Naz Baheshti who has advice for employers on (Business Brief)
America’s longest war is almost over. At least on paper. President Joe Biden has announced that the U.S. will complete the pullout of its troops from Afghanistan by August 31, days before the 20th anniversary of 9/11 — the cataclysmic terrorist attack on America that prompted the country’s military invasion more than 6,500 miles away. But for the thousands of U.S. soldiers who have served in Afghanistan, many of whom have returned home in recent months, a different conflict is very much alive. From hunger to homelesslness, the battle for survival is real for America’s vets. Here’s my latest for (OZY)
For the Observer I wrote about What Is the Environmental Impact of the Billionaire Space Race? Experts Weigh In (Observer)
I sat down with Olivia Holt, the star of ‘Cruel Summer’ to discuss her approach to the nuances of trauma (Observer)
For TYT I wrote about How Massive Companies Sidestepped Their Vows To Uphold Democracy (TYT)
The Distraction
Every edition we will share a movie, clip, song, GIF, antidote or something that we’re into right now to help distract you from all the noise in the world. Here’s what we got for today:
Have a suggestion? Send it our way.
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MAKING A $7/MO PLEDGE HELPS SUPPORT INDEPENDENT JOURNALISM OH AND TELL YOUR FRIENDS
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